World Teachers' Day marks 60 years of the teacher-status recommendation

World Teachers' Day 2026 on October 5 carries the theme 'Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures,' marking six decades since the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. UNESCO says the recommendation is being revised as digital technology, climate change, inclusion, migration and displacement create new pressures on teachers' recognition, policy voice, pay, workload and working environments. UNESCO's education overview also estimates that 44 million more teachers are needed by 2030 for universal primary and secondary education, while 273 million children and youth remain out of school. A global celebration in Paris will focus on protecting and advancing the profession.